Complaints about air pollution in the Chinese capital of Beijing more than doubled in the first five months of 2014. But the news gets worse. A chemical plant has been forced to close despite claims from a local politician that local children's ailments were caused by chewing pencils. National outrage forced authorities to act. The scandal is the latest example of the human cost of China’s obsession with economic growth at all cost.

www.theguardian.co.uk

Residents told CCTV the plant pumped untreated waste into the water and air, stunting the growth of some local children and leaving others seriously ill. Hunan province’s Hengdong county hit the headlines earlier this year after reports suggested the factory left more than 300 children with excessive levels of lead in their blood. This posed a major threat to the children and in severe cases could lead to coma, convulsions and death.

www.mirror.co.uk

According to a 2003 study obtained by the Chinese media, 20 per cent of the rice produced in Hunan was contaminated with heavy metals including cadmium and lead. Now, the factory’s electricity supply has been disconnected, equipment is being dismantled, and a police investigation is underway.Let's hope the Chinese correct the problem of contamination and treat the stunted children so they can live in peace. I know what I'd do if my children were at risk. I'd move. But that might not be possible for some of the families living in Hunan. So many people all over the world are fleeing their countries. Where will they all end up? And will they ever have a chance to live in peace and freedom? Surely the most basic drive for a human being is to procreate and live long and happy lives.

The sister of someone I used to work with faced this issue some years ago. Children in her neighborhood were coming down with leukemia for no known reason. At least one died. It's called a cancer cluster here in the States. She never moved and her children were OK, but it is interesting that the woman herself developed an autoimmune disorder. I suspect environment affects us a lot more than we think.